Treatment Research Grant

Grants to USA, Canada, and International researchers for studies on novel interventions and treatments for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Letters of intent are due July 18, 2018. Treatments may include medical approaches such as pharmacological treatments and complementary and alternative forms of healthcare, as well as behavioral and/or psychosocial interventions.

Autism Speaks invites Treatment Research Grant applications to conduct innovative studies of novel treatments and interventions for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) throughout the life span. Successful applications will focus on evaluation of the efficacy, effectiveness or other therapeutic benefits of the targeted intervention.

The Treatment Research Grant award mechanism directly addresses Goal #3 in the Autism Speaks Science Strategic Plan for 2018-2020: Facilitate the clinical testing of promising life-enhancing interventions. Specifically, this mechanism focuses on efficacy or comparative effectiveness research using rigorous methodologies. The expectation is that funded investigations will produce evidence that guides future practice or key results that motivate future large-scale investigations. Safety and cost-effectiveness can, and often should, be included elements but should not be the sole or primary focus of the study. Open-label or purely observational studies are not recommended. Animal model pre-clinical studies will not be considered for this mechanism.

Successful applications will include consideration of one or more of the following priorities in the aims, design and/or implementation of the study:

1. Inclusion of cognitively impaired individuals with ASD.
2. Inclusion of validation sensitive, objective, quantitative outcome measures and/or biomarkers as secondary outcomes that can be measured longitudinally.
3. Focus on one or more of the common, co-occurring medical or behavioral conditions that reduce quality of life in autism – either as a primary or secondary outcome measure (in addition to core autism symptoms).
4. Focus on an intervention with potential to improve the transition to adulthood and/or the health and well-being of adults with ASD.

Note: Successful applications are not expected to include all elements.

Additionally, Treatment Research Grants must satisfy the following requirements:
- Build on existing feasibility, safety and/or efficacy data to further investigate biomedical or behavioral treatment approaches.
- Be supported by promising results in previous research, by a body of existing research evidence and/or by a strong theoretical justification.
- Come from established investigators with demonstrated potential for and a commitment to biomedical research in autism or related developmental disabilities.